Long time Sony and Kobo owner here. I never really considered a kindle before but am now looking at the new touch. One question - does the kindle display the book cover while in sleep mode like the Sony & Kobo readers do?

I kept reading that, but my Kindle Touch shows Pens, type writers, newspapers, printing press letter plates.... No dead Authors for me. Maybe the touch is different then the old ones, or maybe its because I live in Canada and it's different here.

I would have gotten the with offers one, but it's not available in Canada..

That is only on the older Kindles. The current generation Kindles contain beautiful, high-res photos of things relating to reading and writing. The Fire also has a few of the same in color in addition to a larger collection.